Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Wellesley, MA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 80.1% of gross income.

Wellesley rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Wellesley median rent
$4,013/mo
Bus Driver salary (Massachusetts)
$60,111/yr
Rent as % of income
80.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,009, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,503/mo in rent. Wellesley's median rent of $4,013 exceeds that threshold by $2,510/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 138.9 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a bus driver salary

Transit bus driver pay sits near the US median household income, with municipal and unionized routes often paying more. At the national-average bus driver salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,296 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Wellesley, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Hingham, MA
$3,970/mo (79.3% of income)
Lexington, MA
$3,946/mo (78.8% of income)
Winchester, MA
$3,857/mo (77% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Wellesley

View full rent data for Wellesley, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Wellesley, MA?

Median rent in Wellesley is $4,013 a month. A typical bus driver in Massachusetts earns about $60,111 a year, which makes that rent 80.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Wellesley?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Massachusetts (~$60,111/yr) supports up to $1,503 a month in rent. Wellesley's current median rent is $4,013/mo, which is $2,510/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a bus driver work to cover rent in Wellesley?

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a bus driver in Massachusetts works roughly 138.9 hours a month to cover Wellesley's median rent of $4,013.

Where is rent cheaper than Wellesley for a bus driver?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Hingham ($3,970/mo), Lexington ($3,946/mo), Winchester ($3,857/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Massachusetts state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Wellesley, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.